Computing systems can include multiple computing devices such as servers, desktop PCs, laptops, and workstations, and peripheral devices, (e.g., printers, facsimile devices, and scanners). In some systems, these network devices can be networked together across a local area network (LAN), wireless LAN, and/or wide area network (WAN) via routers, hubs, switches, and the like to form a computing device network. A LAN and/or WAN uses clients and servers that have network-enabled operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux, and Unix.
Any number of network devices, such as those mentioned above, may be included in a network. When such network devices are deployed, e.g., added, to the network, the device typically has to be configured for use in the network environment. This typically means configuring the software, firmware, and other instructions on the device to communicate with the other network devices. Configuring a network device can include providing various device settings, enabling/disabling device features, etc. For instance, in various network devices such as a switch, configuring the switch can include providing configuration factors and/or features including port priority settings, enabling/disabling ports and/or port ranges, providing link speed and/or duplex settings, providing virtual local area network (VLAN) settings, or providing for port mirroring and/or link aggregation, among various other configuration factors and/or features.
In some instances, newly deployed network devices can be configured prior to being physically connected, e.g., physically linked, to the network to avoid network disruptions such as “broadcast storms” which can occur due to loops and/or trunks in the physical setup of the device. Such disruptions associated with loops and/or trunks in the physical setup can be mitigated by providing network devices with configurations that account for the physical setup, e.g., the manner in which the devices are physically connected to other devices of the network.
Many network devices have default configurations, e.g., factory settings, when they are added to a network. In such cases, the default configuration may not match the physical setup of the device, e.g., the default configuration settings may not correspond to how the device is physically linked to other network devices. As such, the device may need to be reconfigured to avoid network disruptions such as those noted above. One option to avoid network disruptions is to boot the device and reconfigure the device prior to physically connecting the device to the network. However, this can require a network administrator or other individual to be physically present at the device location to physically connect the device to the network and other devices thereof.
Another option is to physically connect the device to the network, boot the physically connected device, and then reconfigure the device after the device is booted to change the default configuration. However, reconfiguring the device in this manner can result in the device performing functions such as routing, bridging, and/or switching network traffic according to the default configuration until the device is reconfigured. As noted above, booting a device that is physically connected to the network can create network disruptions when the default configuration does not correspond to the physical setup of the device, and may require the physical presence of a network administrator at the location of the device to ensure proper physical setup of the device.